


Blind Dogs

by mageknight



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hopeless Gay Denial, Lesbians give me your wisdom, M/M, Modern AU, Slow Burn, possible horny content havent decided yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-16 22:01:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21043469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mageknight/pseuds/mageknight
Summary: Not wanting to go home to his dysfunctional family, Ignatz faces the struggle of what to do during his between semester break. Raphael, however offers the preposition to come home with him for the few weeks ahead. While both don't know how it'll go, they both agree the company will do them some good.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ((oh god a multi chapter rare pair project that wont go terrible for me huh. im so sorry if youre still waiting on the morigo fic.  
uh. nothing to be said on this chapter really. i guess im slightly projecting onto ignatz's family dynamic, but also am i really.

"Uh, yeah, I really appreciate it, sorry again." Ignatz was sweating onto his phone with the most nervous expression, and he considered himself lucky to know his brother couldn't see him on the other end. He brushed a free hand around his rounded cheek, and continued, "Please let them down easy, I really did want to call them, I swe-" Ignatz got quiet for a moment, and responded along his brother's criticisms on the other line. This type of stilted and mean conversation was to be expected from the Victor household, but it didn't mean Ignatz was accustomed to taking it well.

He had been on the line for twenty minutes now, ten times longer than he would have liked. In his head, everything should have just gone well, but even his brother saw Ignatz as an inconvenience. Perhaps he caught him at a bad time, but he was not to deal with anything Ignatz had to say with his upcoming return home for the holidays. 

Or rather, the lack thereof would be of a return. Ignatz had not been in college for too long, but he quickly made many friends even for his anxious nature. After a few months in attendance and some explanation on his home life in regards to his ambitions, most everyone came to the same conclusion about Ignatz's family and primarily his father. This was, of course, that they were too much of a cruel and overbearing force in his life, and Ignatz would be better off without them. However, it is not explicitly easy for a bird to fly the coop when he has been chained down by moral obligation and guilt. So, when break reared its head towards Ignatz, he elected to lie to his family saying he could not return home for the sake of working. 

And thus, there he was, message relayed and getting the push back from his brother. He pulled his phone away from his ear, and if anyone was in the room they'd be able to hear his brother shouting. "Everything has to be an issue with you, doesn't it? You try to wriggle your way out of this line of study and work acting like we're killing your happiness, but now you can't even be bothered to come home. You wouldn't know responsibility if it hit you square in the head, good god. If you don't want to be here, that's your choice." With that, his brother hung up the phone, and Ignatz stood there in silence for a moment. He didn't even put his phone down, he just stood and looked off into nothing, trying to comprehend what he was told.

"Still is that bad huh?" A voice asked from behind him.

"Wahh!" Ignatz shouted, turning around and almost chucking his android into the wall like an Olympic discus. It calmed his nerves to just see it was Raphael, coming back to their room to grab something. With a gasp for air, he addressed him "Raph! How long have you been standing there?" 

The two of them were childhood friends, but separated not long after tragedy struck Raphael's family at age 15. They didn't even know they were attending the same college until they saw each other at a Summer orientation. After a heartfelt rekindling however, they elected to dorm together on campus. 

Raphael chuckled, "I swear, you always scream when someone comes up from behind you!" He walked up to Ignatz, and smiled a usual kind and warm grin.

"I startle too easily, so you're right. Sorry." He sighed trying to shake his initial fright. Ignatz remembered what just happened, and he diverted his glance from his friend. "How… How much did you hear?" 

"Just the last bit, your brother really has no right to be yelling at you like that."

"Whether he should or shouldn't, I guess he has a point."

With an eyebrow cock and not a moment wasted, Raphael put his bag back down and leaned up against the wall facing him. He looked nice, in the way Raphael does though in a pair of joggers and work boots. Ignatz figured he was probably doing a short gym run before work, and then swinging by his single seminar for the day. Not that he really had to go, they were just dwindling down to the break at that point.

Ignatz was distracted with his line of thoughts when Raphael asked him "So, what's that supposed to mean?" It was easy to get him off in a tangent, irrational or not. He had a busy brain.

So busy that it took a second to remember what he said moments prior. "Oh, well think about it, I haven't been the best when it comes to say setting up my life with them." If Ignatz could fiddle with a manifestation of his unwanted environmental engineering major, he would. Instead he just rubbed the back of his overgrown haircut and sighed "I cause them a lot of grief, even if it's right or wrong. I just feel sorry about it all."

"Why?" The oldest trick in the book was to just pelt Ignatz with that one word question until he recognized what he was saying.

"Because... " He trailed off genuinely trying to find a good reason. His father caused him nothing but anxiety nowadays and his brother always just walked all over him. In the Victor clan of three, Ignatz was nothing more than a little runt. But, he came back to a familiar conclusion.

"It's my family. I don't like betraying my family."

"Hey," Raphael out stretched an arm and patted Ignatz on his shoulder. "How many times to I gotta tell you you shouldn't let your folks run your life like this?"

Out of the side of his vision, Ignatz caught a loom at Raphael's sweet expression, and he managed to giggle somewhat. He lifted his respective hand and held Raphael's wrist. "Not enough, I suppose." Ignatz said with his heavy hearted laughter. "At least once a month at this point, huh?"

The two locked eyes and shared a childlike smile for one moment, and Raphael went back to his consolations. "It's a week and a half, they'll get over it." He said, shaking Ignatz playfully. He was so petite in comparison that even just that made Ignatz feel like he was being wrestled about. Ignatz tossed his phone onto the bed so he could hold Raphael's hand with both of his. "You look woozy." He added on.

"For the record, I was just jostled back and forth by a six foot three hulk of a man." Ignatz said with an uncommon sense of smugness. "But no, no I haven't eaten yet. A bit dizzy." He essentially lived on the brink of unconsciousness daily from how little Ignatz ate. Simply put, he had a smaller appetite than his body would want.

Raphael clapped his hands together and grinned. "Okay, Brunch, let's go." And without grabbing his bag he was already trying to motion Ignatz out the door. 

"I thought you had plans?" Ignatz asked, surprised by the sudden change in tune.

"I can walk back from class to make up for lost time, you walking around like I span you ten times round is more important!" He cheered. Before Ignatz could protest more, Raphael made up his mind and was heading off. 

Ignatz sighed, and caught sight of the bag on the floor. He peered his head into the hallway and yelled after him, "Is your phone in here?"

"Probably!" He called right back. 

Ignatz shook his head as he got on his knees to snatch it. After pocketing it and his own phone, he chased Raphael down without even locking the door. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((yes i named ignatzs brother dont skin me please  
also before one of you say it, yes this whole chapter is based on the waffle house meme

Ignatz sat over a split plate of fish and chips, nibbling on fries dipped in ketchup. The roadside diner not far from campus was comfortable on an 11 A.M. Wednesday; wonderfully warm and sweet. It was nice to sit down after an impromptu walk and a nervous phone call, and chatting took his mind off it. Raphael took over the air of the situation, talking about his plans for when he got to go home to his little sister, Maya. 

"She's been so excited about this. I guess she isn't used to me being in her hair all the time -- guess that'll give me a reason to tease her. 'Not like I'll miss you!' and all." Raphael laughed heartily. Growing up with Raphael made her into an energetic and sometimes overbearing young girl, but she was still sweet. Ignatz had not seen her since she was 9, and it cheered him up to hear about her again. 

Raphael tapped his fingers against the table looking Ignatz straight on. "Sedil probably doesn't feel the same?" He asked, trying to joke slightly over the situation. Ignatz somewhat cocked his eyebrows and nodded, bringing his mug of coffee to his lips. With a small hum, Ignatz thought over what to say.

"Well, I mean," Ignatz blurted out over the glass lip of the mug, "he's older and did this all before. Probably thinks it's no big deal for me." This is actually the only part that got him to laugh, "Everything is a big deal to me."

Raphael leaned over the table and snatched a fish off the plate. He grinned wide at the smiling Ignatz, and asked "So what are you really doing for vacation?"

"Huh?" Ignatz questioned.

He offered his hand to Ignatz and clarified, "You gotta be having a good vacation if you've made time to tell off your folks! Where are you going?" 

Ignatz leaned forward onto his own shoulder and held onto Raphael's extended arm. "For starters, I didn't tell them off. I don't think I ever could." He told Raphael playfully. The two nodded and chuckled, Ignatz breaking eye contact with a shining grin. "But, no I'm sorry, I actually do intend to work." 

The two went quiet and Raphael pouted somewhat over the response. "You're kidding?" He questioned Ignatz, who just silently shrugged. He shook his head, feeling bad for his best friend. "Nothing?"

Ignatz cocked his head, not too bothered by it. “Nothing, really.” He said. Looking at Raphael, he was not pleased with this answer one bit. He took a second to mull over what to say to Ignatz, and went to start talking multiple times, stopping himself each time. “I’m sorry,” Ignatz said, “I really don’t have anywheres to go though.”

Raphael hummed, not saying anything. Ignatz could tell he clearly understand, since they were in a pretty similar boat. “Well then,” Raphael reasoned, finally, “why not come home with me?” Ignatz immediately fell into a shocked expression, one he was often teased for when he was caught off guard. Raphael laughed at his surprise, “Come on! You don’t have to worry about being caught being close to home, it’s not like your folks are gonna do anything these two weeks. We’ll have a good time, and even Maya will get to see you again.”

Ignatz buried his face in his drink, unsure how to reply to such a kind offer. Slurping a bit into his mouth, Ignatz’s mind was abuzz with concern. “Why would he want me to come along?” He thought to himself, “It’ll just be a hassle to tote me around all vacation!” Yet, he looked up to see Raphael smiling at his ridiculous behavior. He couldn’t help but also smile, happy to not feel so weird around someone else.

“Well, you got a week to say yes before I put you in my suitcase against your will!” Raphael cheered. Ignatz moved back from his cup with a squeaky whine. Raphael waved his hand to him, grinning at his own joke. “Relax, it’s your choice, but really you should come.” He spoke more calmly now, “Also, you probably can’t fit anyways, though it would come close.”

The conversation was broke by their waitress dropping a check on the table. “Anytime you’re ready, boys.” she said, and slid it over to Raphael’s side of the table. This being said, Ignatz was the one to thank her, and also the first to go for his wallet.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((mercedes time.  
I like to interpret their support as wlw mlm solidarity so here we are.  
To be ABSOLUTELY CLEAR everyones two years above their base ages. Annette is 18, mercie is 24, the boys are 20 and 21. Miss me with that underage shit. Also mercedes is gonna come back so this isnt just a background pairing completely  
Also theres a flayn support reference jn here. Enjoy

Three days had passed since Raphael slipped Ignatz the idea of coming home with him. While they most certainly were together for that long 72 hours, Ignatz had avoided the topic of what he was doing for the holidays like the plague. In his ideal reality, the conversation would go forgotten and he wouldn’t be bothered about it again. Yet, deep down he knew it wasn’t likely, and the longer either of them carried an interaction the more he felt ready to throw up his guards. 

It was also hard not to think about it all when he had to go to his own cover-up: on campus work at the writing center. He was glad that his parents didn’t know what he did on campus, because the only work he’d probably doing over vacation would likely be organizing and filing documents for other departments who were gone for two weeks. It was nice to have good company there though.

Mercedes was an alumnus of the college, at age 24. She was a medical student with some backing in accounting, and she was presently working there while trying to land a steady job in a hospital. Working on the campus was nice for her, so she said, as she got to work by a college schedule still. Out of everyone in the center, they had a very close relationship. Mercedes just seemed to favor him, Ignatz didn’t quite get why. She always made him so nervous, Mercedes was so calm and collected, but also intimidating somehow. She never seemed to care about anything, hell, a few months ago she chopped all her hair off with no regrets.

Yes, Mercedes was a brilliant and courageous individual, unlike him. That's probably why Ignatz screeched when she whipped her head around the corner and greeted him with a particularly loud "Hey!" Ignatz slammed his back up against the wall opposite the door, wheezing out of terror. "Sorry," Mercedes chuckled, "I've just been waiting for you!"

Ignatz tried to catch his breath, "It's fine!" He forced himself to look at her cutesy smiling face, and faked a sense of calm. "You just scared me is all." 

"Well I definitely did!" Mercedes remarked, looking at Ignatz's pallid and shaken face. She stepped out of the center, and raised his head with a single finger under his chin. "Are you okay?" She asked, but still laughed a little. Ignatz had nothing to say, but he found himself chuckling too. 

~~

After Ignatz recovered from his metaphysical heart attack, he and Mercedes got to work looking through student submissions for editing. Both of them had gotten pretty good at writing while talking, and often found themselves chatting a shift away. 

"Some of the girls from my high school sent me something the other day." She said, straightening a stack of papers with a gentle pat against the table. "I had no idea what it was for a moment, in all honesty. They only told me they sent it when i posted pictures of the box and admitted they both got me something."

Ignatz didn't look up from his screen, but he was listening intently. He clicked the roof of his mouth, and replied "That's a bit odd not to say anything. What did they get you?" 

"That's the whole issue." Mercedes said, "It's supposed to be a holiday present, and it came really early." Mercedes smiled, lost in her own head for a second. "Such a big box… I wonder what it is?"

Just then, Mercedes slapped her hands on the table in a sort of realization. It made Ignatz jump in his seat. "That reminds me!" She loudly proclaimed, "My step brother says he's not coming home this year, did I tell you that?"

That part never came up, no. Mercedes had mentioned that, this year, her and her mother were spending the first week of their holidays with her first step father instead of the second due to some scheduling issues. Mercedes was not completely happy with this, but she seemed to be keeping optimistic all the same. The breaking news about her step brother likely wasn't helping the situation.

Ignatz suddenly got warm all over. He craned his neck forward and replied, "No, you didn't." Every muscle in his body seemed to tighten, thinking about how that was exactly what he was doing. No doubt his brother would be having the same conversation with one of his coworkers. Maybe with a less sporadic cadence than how Mercedes spoke, however.

"It's a shame, really." Mercedes said, but didn't touch on the topic much more. With the tilt of her head, it seems she expected a comment or reply from Ignatz. Yet, there he sat, stiff as a board. "Ignatz?" Mercedes was able to coax him to look over his shoulder, "Are you sure you're feeling okay today?"

"Yes! I'm fine." He said, panicking a little. He lowered his laptop screen, and span himself around in the chair. With a gentle sigh, Ignatz admitted "I told you I wasn't going home to my folks, right?"

"Well, no." Mercedes replied plainly. "Does it matter?" She asked.

"I mean, how am I any different from your step brother?" Ignatz asked softly. He looked to his lap and shook his head, "Isn't it a shame that I don't want to go home either?"

Mercedes didn't agree like he expected, but laughed that bubbly laugh she was known for. "Ignatz!" She ogled him, "You're being silly, you can't even compare to that!"

"What?" He questioned. Mercedes rolled her chair over with a satisfying grinding sound. She pulled up right next to him and patted him on the shoulder. Once again, Mercedes was sweetly intimidating and Ignatz had no idea how to emotionally handle that.

"Iggy," Mercedes' little pet name for him was not one he explicitly hated, he just preferred to be called his actual name. Yet, this didn't stop Mercedes, "There is a world of difference between your folks and mine. My step father really cares for my step brother! It's just unfortunate that he doesn't want to be here, because we're gonna miss him."

Ignatz slumped his head onto Mercedes arm, and sighed. "So you're saying that…" Ignatz started, but never finished. The connection to what she was saying about his family dynamic was pretty obvious.

"I mean," Mercedes was choosing her words carefully now, she realized she might have struck a nerve. "You have just told me plenty about your dad and stuff, and I think maybe you'd be happier not going home." She felt Ignatz stir on her forearm, and the two looked at each other with the same blank gaze. "That's why you're not going, right?"

Ignatz was quiet for awhile, holding that look with Mercedes. He managed to pull himself together and say, "Yeah, you're right." He got off her arm, and smiled. "You know me pretty well now, huh?

"Well enough." Mercedes had forgotten all her work by now, and intended to waste her time away. "Well, if you are so much like him," She teased, "what are you doing these two weeks? Maybe it'll give me insight into where he's gone."

"Oh" Ignatz said, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be working." He went to swivel back to his computer, but Mercedes grabbed the back of his chair and turned him to face her. That warm nervous feeling came over him again, as Mercedes didn't seem so cheery anymore.

"Ignatz."

"Yes ma'am?" He sputtered out in his fretting feelings.

Mercedes tried to conceal her snort at the reply. "We both know there's nothing to be done here. You shouldn't kid yourself with that!" Surely enough, with so little he said Mercedes instantly knew Ignatz was set in self isolation mode. The feeling of being read for useless filth shot up Ignatz's spine like a tremor. 

"There has to be something you can do, someone you can go with!" Mercedes tried to encourage him. Ignatz darted his eyes to the side at that last part.

"Someone did offer something, but-"

Mercedes interjected, "Well warm your cold feet now and shoot your shot!" Ignatz was doing his absolute best not to explode with rushed words and bad ideas. Yet, Mercedes kept going. "You're 20! Go! You deserve to have some fun with yourself for once."

The pressure was very overwhelming, and Ignatz found himself jumping out of his seat to get some space. "I know!" He assured her, "I know, I fully know." Ignatz thought it over for a bit, and said, "I wouldn't want to bother a friend like that."

Mercedes grinned, and also rose to her feet. She was taller than Ignatz, who was petite down to his unfortunate gene set. She placed both her hands on the side of his face, and giggled as he flinched. "You and I have a lot more in common than you'd ever know, Ignatz." Mercedes said. She let him go, so Ignatz could exhale all of his agony.

She strolled back to her misplaced chair and began to reroll it to her desk. "You know," she said in an obnoxious manner, "I'm bringing a friend with me on my vacation." Ignatz perked his head up, but said nothing. "Annie's coming along, first to keep me sane, and then to just enjoy our time together." Mercedes smiled brightly. "It's going to be so much fun!"

Ignatz found himself, once again, staring on in awe. "So, it will be, huh?" He wondered to no one in particular.

~~

They soon went away from the topic, working away their few hours. Mercedes and her seemingly empty minded, obvious advice rung in his head however, and he had never ran and clocked from a shift so fast. Running as quick as his underfed body would take him, Ignatz flew back to his dorm in an absolute frenzy.

He tore around the entryway corner, not saying hello to anyone and almost knocking out a poor girl passing by. He forced open the second to last door of the hallway, and nearly screamed "Raphael!" as he entered. 

Raphael shot up from his slouch on the bed, eyes widened. Ignatz usually wasn't loud, and that was a fact withheld for over a decade. Raphael gently put up his hand, and solely said, "Uh, hey." He straight up didn't know what was going on.

Ignatz quickly closed the door behind him. With his fist clenched, he closed his eyes and blurted out, "Is it too late to take you up on your offer?"


End file.
